'Wicked and corrupting paedophile' John Briggs jailed for eight years

World renowned concert pianist John Briggs has been branded a predatory paedophile and jailed for eight years for the “relentless” sexual abuse of five young boys.

Briggs, 65, sat impassively in the dock at Bradford Crown Court as Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told him he used his power and influence to abuse the trust of his vulnerable victims.

The celebrated musician was idolised and worshipped by the two piano students and three members of Keighley Sea Cadets he sexually abused over almost 25 years, the judge said yesterday.

He told Briggs: “This is the most glaring example of a gross breach of trust that one could possibly imagine.”

Briggs had held himself out as a gentleman of distinction, being awarded the MBE for his work with the Sea Cadets. He was a gifted and successful man of considerable standing in the country but there was compelling evidence of sexual predation over 24 years.

“You abused these particularly young, and I suspect, handsome men as they came into your sway. All were vulnerable in the sense that they looked up to you as a man to be almost worshipped and respected.”

Briggs was convicted by the jury of nine allegations of indecent assault on a male person. He was found not guilty of one allegation of indecency with a child.

The court heard he groomed and sexually abused two young piano students and three members of Keighley Sea Cadets between 1969 and 1993.

Briggs, of Little Lane, East Morton, was said by his barrister, Nick Askins, to be suffering from high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Mr Askins said his client was of good character. He did not ask the judge to adjourn sentence for a probation service report.